Senecio plant named ‘Sunsenebaibai’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Senecio  plant named ‘Sunsenebaibai’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; relatively small leaves; freely flowering habit; relatively long flowering period; and large daisy-type inflorescences with dark violet and white bi-colored ray florets and deep violet-colored disc florets.

Botanical designation: Senecio cruentus×Senecio heritieri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSENEBAIBAI’. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecioplant, botanically known as Senecio cruentus×Senecio heritieri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsenebaibai’.

The new Senecio is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi, Japan. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new Senecio cultivars with uniformlymounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractive inflorescencecoloration.

The new Senecio originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor inJanuary, 1995 of a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentus identifiedas code number BW131, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent witha proprietary selection of Senecio heritieri identified as code numberE-21, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Senecio wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceMarch, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Senecio arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsenebaibai’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunsenebaibai’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Senecio:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Relatively small leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Relatively long flowering period.    -   6. Large daisy-type inflorescences with dark violet and white        bi-colored ray florets and deep violet-colored disc florets.

Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio are taller than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio have smaller leaves than plants of        the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio have larger leaves than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have solid violet blue-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of Senecio ‘JupiterBlue-White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Senecio differed from plantsof ‘Jupiter Blue-White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio were taller and had longer        internodes than plants of ‘Jupiter Blue-White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Jupiter Blue-White’.    -   3. Plants of the new Senecio had smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Jupiter Blue-White’.    -   4. Plants of the new Senecio flower earlier than plants of        ‘Jupiter Blue-White’.    -   5. Plants of the new Senecio had larger inflorescences than        plants of ‘Jupiter Blue-White’.    -   6. Plants of the new Senecio had longer peduncles than plants of        ‘Jupiter Blue-White’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Senecio. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Senecio.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsenebaibai’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Sunsenebaibai’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan during the winter in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Senecio production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C.and night temperatures averaged 10° C. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were six monthold when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio cruentus×Senecio heritieri    ‘Sunsenebaibai’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code number BW131, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            heritieri identified as code number E-21, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About four weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; light brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant            habit. Inflorescences positioned well above the foliar            plane. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 24.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 33.3 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,            about 14 lateral branches per plant. Length: About 15.9 cm.            Diameter: About 3.2 mm. Internode length: About 1.8 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144D.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 4.9 cm. Width: About 5.3 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate            with shallow lobes. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base: Cordate.            Margin: Shallowly lobed; crenate; slightly undulate.            Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lower            surface: Densely pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate;            reticulate. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,            upper surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 144D.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 191B; venation, close to 144D. Petiole length: About            5.9 cm. Petiole diameter: About 1.9 mm. Petiole texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Petiole color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with            elliptic-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned above            the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets            developing acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face            mostly upright. Freely flowering habit with about 26            inflorescences developing per plant. Inflorescences            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly scented.        -   Flowering response.—In Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of            the new Senecio flower continuously from winter to late            spring. Inflorescences last about two weeks on the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 7.6 mm. Diameter: About            7.7 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.1 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.7 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.1 cm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elliptic. Length: About 3 cm. Width:            About 9 mm. Apex: Truncate, rounded, emarginate or            praemorse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 13 in a single whorl.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Towards the apex, close            to N87A; towards the base, close to 155C. When opening,            lower surface: Close to N81B. Fully opened, upper surface:            Towards the apex, close to N87A; towards the base, close to            155C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N81D.        -   Disc floret.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 9.1 mm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm. Number of disc            floret per inflorescence: About 137. Color, immature and            mature: Close to N86A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 14 in a single            whorl. Length: About 7.5 mm. Width: About 1.8 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to            N86A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 14B.            Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma            shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to N86A.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Senecio.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Senecio have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Senecio.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sunsenebaibai’ as illustratedand described.